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Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children

Gastrointestinal conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children, are often difficult to diagnose because IBD symptoms in children, like abdominal pain and cramping, are common childhood complaints. That’s why it’s important for your child to be evaluated by board-certified pediatric gastroenterologists who have the expertise to accurately diagnose IBD in children, and develop a customized treatment plan.

At Nemours, we’re passionate about treating the whole child not just the condition. And we promise to do everything we can to make sure your child has more happy and healthy days with fewer IBD symptoms.

Learn More About Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children

Inflammatory bowel disease refers to two chronic (or recurring) conditions called “Crohn’s disease” and “Ulcerative colitis,” which may result in inflammation (redness, swelling, or ulcerations) in parts of the intestinal tract.

Like asthma, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children is a chronic disease that can “flare up” from time to time. Although IBD requires lifelong care, it is a highly manageable condition. Our team can help your child reduce the amount of flare-ups for months or even years with medications, lifestyle changes, and in some cases, surgery.

IBD Symptoms in Children

Symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children in children recur in bouts (flare-ups). They may include:

abdominal cramping

blood in the stool

diarrhea

constipation

weakness

fatigue

loss of appetite/weight loss

fever

Sometimes, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in children causes inflammation to other parts of the body, resulting in joint pain and/or skin rashes. Other times, IBD doesn’t cause symptoms, making the condition more difficult to readily diagnose.

Integrated Specialty Care for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

At Nemours, we take a family-centered approach to caring for kids, which means our families play an active role in treatment decisions. Along with board-certified pediatric gastroenterologists, your medical team may include specialists in allergy and immunology, nutrition, genetics, pediatric surgery, psychology and psychiatry, and behavioral health — all working together to bring you the best in whole-child health care.